If You Never Try, You'll Never Know
by upwiththebirds33
Summary: Modern AU: Phillip and Anne go to Wonderworks in Orlando. Anne wants to go on the ropes course, but Phillip is terrified of heights—and he hasn't told Anne...


Hi! This is not the first fic I've ever written, but it's the first I'm posting! Hope you like it!

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"Are you sure about this?" Phillip asked Anne for the sixteenth time. Anne had made plans to go to Orlando to see Disney and Wonderworks, and Wonderworks was first. After going through the rest of the building, they had finally arrived at Anne's favorite part, the indoor ropes course. The only problem was that Phillip was deathly afraid of heights—and he hadn't told Anne.

"Come on, it'll be fun!" Anne told him. Phillip wasn't so sure. Just then, his phone buzzed.

"Oh, sorry, P.T. has something for me to do. Sorry, I'll have to sit this one out," he lied. Anything to get out of the ropes course. Anne grabbed the phone, read the message, and raised her eyebrows.

"He said, have fun," she told him. Phillip grinned sheepishly. "Come on! Have you ever been on a ropes course before?" Phillip shook his head, and Anne gasped. "Never? Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked. "Let's go!" Phillip shuffled awkwardly into the room and instantly blanched. To say the course was high in the air would be an understatement. He stopped dead in his tracks, paralyzed with fear. Anne, continuing on, turned around when she noticed Phillip wasn't following her.

"Phil?" she asked. "What's wrong?" Phillip was too scared to answer. Anne looked at him questioningly. Phillip shuffled back a few steps, then a few more.

"Please," he whispered.

"What is it?" Anne asked. "Here, come with me," she told him, pulling him towards a bench. "What's wrong?" she asked. Phillip felt terrible.

I can't tell her, he thought. She'll hate me forever.

"Phil?" she asked again. Phillip felt hot tears slipping down his face and blinked furiously. He couldn't believe he was crying over a ropes course.

"I... uh, well... I'm really actually afraid of heights and I'm really sorry Anne but I can't do this and I'm not lying I wouldn't do that to you but please don't make me do this—"

"Phillip, why didn't you tell me?" Anne asked gently. Phillip felt the tears starting again and buried his face into Anne's shoulder.

"I couldn't," he whispered, his voice muffled. Anne pulled him in close.

"Look at me," she told him, cupping his tear-stained face in her hand. "Why not?"

"Because..." he started.

"Because?" Anne prompted.

"I-I didn't want you to hate me," he whispered, his eyes downcast and looking like a kicked puppy. "I know that you really enjoy these things, and I didn't want you to stop having fun because of me," he explained. Anne smiled at him.

"I don't mind doing other things, Phillip, and I don't want you to feel like you're a problem. And I'm not going to stop loving you just because you don't like something that I enjoy." Phillip looked up at her.

"Really?" he asked, losing some of the sadness. Anne nodded, smiling.

"Really," she told him. She pulled him close, feeling his tears on her shirt, and hugged him, reassuring him that it would be okay. As she pulled away, he smiled at her.

"Thanks," he whispered.

"Do you want to try it?" Anne asked. Phillip looked up, eyes wide with alarm, and Anne smiled. "You don't have to," she said. "But if you want to try, you can go back down if you aren't comfortable with it, and I'll hold your hand the whole time, I promise." Phillip considered her proposal.

"I... okay. I'll try it."

"Are you sure?" Anne asked him. "You don't have to if you don't want to," she told him, but he shook his head.

"I'll try it," he said, more firmly this time. He stood up and started toward the entrance, grasping Anne's hand as tightly as he could. They got their harnesses and started up the stairs.

"Are you sure?" Anne asked again, and Phillip nodded, continuing up. When they reached the first platform, Anne turned to Phillip.

"Which one?" she asked. He pointed towards the one on the right, and they started walking over.

"Don't look down," Anne whispered, and Phillip nodded, squeezing her hand more tightly. They finally stepped onto the platform, and Phillip smiled.

"I did it!" he said. Anne smiled at him as he pulled her onto another rope, then another. They circled all the way around the basement, Phillip becoming more and more sure of himself. When they had reached the floor again and taken off their harnesses, Anne was overjoyed.

"You did it!" she told Phillip. "What did you think?"

"It was scary," Phillip answered. "But fun." Anne laughed. As they made their way downstairs, making plans for the next day at Disney, Anne noticed that Phillip seemed much more excited for the day ahead. They made their way into the bright sunset towards the hotel, holding hands the whole way, two people who loved each other just the way they were.


End file.
